New Wave of Arrests to Create Terror

A new wave of arrests of activists has begun and more political and media activists were arrested during the last few days. The editor of Ham-Mihan website Mazyar Khosravi and student activist Maryam Abbasinejad are the recent casualties who were arrested two days ago and sent to Iran’s notorious Evin Prison. They followed attorney Mohammad Olyaifard who was arrested before them.

Maryam Abbasinejad, a member of the central council of Tehran University’s Islamic Association, who had protested recently to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s unannounced and quiet visit of Tehran University on Saturday.

Ahmadinejad had gone to the university to participate at a seminar to commemorate ayatollah Morteza Motahari who had been assassinated in the early years of the revolution. He was scheduled to deliver a speech at the medical school of the university. But as students learned of his visit, they demonstrated against him chanting slogans of “Death to the Dictator,” “We do not want a coup government,” “Leave the university, dictator,” “Freedom or death,” “Ya Hossein, Mir-Hossein,” and others.

Mrs. Abbasinejad was arrested the night of these demonstrations.

Mazyar Khosravi, the editor of Ham-Mihan who was the editor of Aftab website and the diplomatic editorial member of Mardom Salari and Bahareh, was also arrested, on Sunday after the legal deputy of Tehran University’s Law School had filed a complaint against him after the journalist had published a report about the attack on the university dormitory by plain-clothes agents and special unit guardsmen.

Mohammad Olyaifard, an attorney was arrested last Saturday and was sent to Evin prison to serve his one year suspended sentence.

Prison Releases

Along with these arrests, Navid Khanjani, Marjan Safari and Ehsan Mehrabi were released from prison after their family members provided the necessary bail for their release. Navid Khanjani is a member of the Gozareshgaran Hoghoogh Bashar group (Human Rights Reporters) who had been barred from continuing her higher education because she is a Bahai.

Marjan Safari, a human rights activist was released two days ago after paying a 150 million Toman bail (about 150,000 USD). A day before that, Ehsan Mehrabi, a journalist who had been in prison since February 7, 2010 was released after meeting the bail of 30 million Toman (about 30,000 USD).

Concerns About Jaafar Panahi’s Condition

As media and public attention was focused on student protests and Ahmadinejad’s visit of Tehran University and the events of the International Workers Day last week, the lack of any new information regarding film-maker Jaafar Panahi’s detention status raised the concerns across groups and individuals.

A close associate of Panahi told Rooz on Sunday that neither the film-maker’s attorney nor the family members of this prominent film-maker had been given access to Panahi’s dossier at the judiciary. The source added that no government official was responding to the family’s requests and no one seemed accountable for the prisoner. This has elevated the concerns of Panahi’s family members. He added Panahi’s interrogations have ended but he is still being kept at a cell in the notorious Ward 209 with two three other prisoners.

On Friday, a group of prominent Hollywood actors and directors, including Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford, Robert DeNiro, Steven Spielberg, Michael Moore, and others had written a letter protesting the arrest and continued detention of Panahi. This is in contrast to the passivity of Iranian artists regarding Panahi’s detention which has raised criticism.

The letter by the Hollywood artists is addressed to the Iranian government and asks for the immediate release of Jaafar Panahi.

Concerns for Massoud Bastani

The International Press Freedom Day passed as independent newspapers remained banned in Iran and journalists remained behind prison bars. One such prisoner journalist is Massoud Bastani whose mother talked with Rooz about the situation.

Bastani is being kept in Karaj’s Rajai-Shahr prison along with convicted criminals and drug smugglers. Speaking to Rooz, his mother Maasoumeh Molool said, “We are seriously concerned about the situation and conditions of my son. One of his major problems is his toothache because even though there is a clinic in the prison, Bastani has been forced to take the pain of his toothache because of various diseases going around in the prison.”

Bastani has been behind bars for 10 months now and has been given no leave to visit his family members. Regarding this situation, his mother told Rooz, “We have repeatedly submitted requests for them to grant him home leave but they refuse it on the excuse that his sentence has not yet been finalized while we know of other prisoners who also have not received their final sentence but have gone home on leave.”

Mrs. Molool said that her son had good morale, but added, “We are concerned about his health, particularly his toothache. My son was only a journalist and has never done anything to jeopardize the security of his country and so is being held unjustly in prison.”

She said that her son spent most of his time in prison helping other prisoners who have a difficult financial or cultural situation. “For example, he helps other prisoners in writing their letters for them. He spends his money with those who have no money. He buys handicrafts to help some prisoners and if they need an attorney, he speaks with some of the lawyers that he knows who may be willing to help the prisoners,” she said.

Regarding how he was being treated in prison, she said that her son had no complaints adding, “Prison authorities had been helpful so far, but the reality is that my journalist son should not be amongst convicted criminals.”

Mohammad Davari’s Second Trial

The second session of Mohammad Davari’s trial was held in branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court five months after his first trial. Davari was the editor in chief of Saham News website. The website was the official site of Etemad Melli party (National Trust). The website reported that the charges against Davari were the same as those in the first trial despite the investigations conducted by the court, which were propaganda against the state, and gathering with intent to disrupt public order.

Dawood Soleymani’s Deteriorating Situation

University professor and a member of Jebhe Mosharekat Iran (Iran Participation Front) doctor Dawood Soleymani is reported to be in deteriorating situation in ward 35o of Evin prison in Tehran. According to student alumni Advar News, while more than ten months pass since the detention of this former Majlis representative, he faces numerous health and psychological issues in the prison. Trembling hands, intense headaches, etc are among the problems he has, which make his condition serious and alarming. What is worse is that because of his resistance, he has been denied any medical attention in prison.

Soleymani spent over four months in solitary confinement  and was sentenced to a total of six years of prison plus a ban on any political or media activity for ten years. He has also been denied any home leave.


Seventy Million Toman Bail for Koohyar Goodarzi

Family members of Koohyar Goodarzi, a member of Human Rights Reporters, announced that a bail of 70 million Toman (about 70,000 USD) had been set for Goodarzi’s release. According to Human Rights Reporters, initially the bail had been set at 300 million Toman (about 300,000 USD), but was later reduced to 70,000 USD. Goodarzi has been behind bars in Evin prison for over 130 days and has been under pressure and long interrogations during this time.

This human rights activist was expelled from Sharif Industrial University because of pressure by security forces last year. He is currently held at Ward 350 of Evin prison in Tehran.